Location and landscape
Damscheid is a municipality on the left bank of the Middle Rhine above Oberwesel, about three kilometres from the Rhine. It belongs to the Hunsrück-Mittelrhein administrative area and lies at around 330 to 350 metres above sea level on the eastern outliers of the Hunsrück between the valleys of the Niederbach and the Oberbach.
Municipal area
The municipal area covers about 15 square kilometres, of which around 11.5 square kilometres are forested. Vineyards, forest and meadow landscapes shape the surroundings and offer views into the Upper Middle Rhine valley.
Viticulture
The wine-growing sites of Damscheid belong to the Mittelrhein wine-growing region and to the Großlage Schloss Schönburg. The Sonnenstock is one of the typical Middle Rhine sites on Quaternary slate clay soils. In 2024, in the Damscheid cadastre area, Goldemund had 10.1 hectares and Sonnenstock had 2.6 hectares planted with vines.
History of viticulture
Damscheid was first mentioned in a document in 1256 and is associated with archaeological remains of Roman buildings as well as a Roman water pipeline. Around 1720, clerical estates owned 24,832 vine stocks and noble estates 82,800 vine stocks. A land survey in 1799 recorded eight hectares of vineyards.
